Train-order-delivery mechanism



G. E. LUNTSFORD.

TRAIN QRDER DELIVERY MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED ME 30, 1919.

Patented Mai. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(3' 12/. an isforol Sum/nu;

UNITED STATES? j .Be it known that'I, GR NvI neer, fireman-,fconducto'r, orothertrainman.

. RAN ILLE E- meant-ream, A K'a s To'ial lwhom concern:

. r E. Lorrrsreap, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corning, in the county of Clay and State of; Arkansas, have invented certain new and .llSBfHl Improvements in TrainsOrderl-De- "lirery rMechanisms, oi which the following is a specification, reference being. had: to the accomp anying drawings.

This invention; relates to devices for de liyering written train orders to passing.

trainsv atstations, and particularly to that elassofdevices of this character wherein the train orders are heldon a hoop, as it may be termed, so supported that the engimay seize the hoop or pass his arm through the hoop as the train passes the station and thus secure the order without stopping the train. 1 r

At the present time practically every road in the country has thesame system o-fdeliveringtrain orders, that is the station agent or employee stands beside the track and holds. in his hand a hoop ofwood having a handle and having mounted thereon-a spring-clasp in. which the message or train order is disposed'iw The trainman, as for instance, the engineer, fireman, conductor or train hand on the; rear end of the train, projects his arm and as the train passes,

thrusts his arm through the hoop and thus secures the order. Sometimes the trainman will m ss the hoop, particularly at night, and it is obvious that in order to secure any; certainty, it is necessary that-the person delivering-the order should stand at all times in a certain place with the hoop disposed in a certain position. Not. so much'jdiflicultyjis. experienced during'the day, but at nightiit p I vis particularlynecessary that the, engineer or conductor onithe train should knowprecisely where the hoop is in order that it may be grasped or taken ofi'. Where trains are running at a high speed, it is manifestly dangerous, particularly at night, for an eroployee to stand a short distance from, the

. these. orders. As a consequence, .many employees lack the nerve to properly deliver" track while the train is'passing and hold out this hoop, and often employees have been injured, struck or run over by handing out these orders, and this is particularly true of more or less ignorantemployees. -Fur thermore, where-the train is a double header,

. that i 'i te es p l ed y wo eng nesit i Speciflcationof Letters Patent.

- TBQJNQORDEB-DELIVERY MECHANISM;

I Paten ed M r. 6a'192 lpplication' filed Iune 30, 1919. Serial No. 807,568.

I necessary to deliver. four orders to the train,

P T eF wE- w one to each engineer, one to. theiconductor of the train, and one to the hrakeman at the extreme rear end of the. train, .andai'f the train is proceeding at a highratei oiispeed,

and particularly if it be night, it is: somewhat difficult to deliver. all four. of.. orders.- 3 I 5 A'further object is to provide a mechanism" of this character wherebyuanywhere from one to. four orders may he supported and whereby when. more than one order is to be delivered, the hoops supportingaithe ing the corresponding hoop willbe turned a down into its delivering position, and that thereafter when this fi-st hoop is talgen ofi', the other hoops. willsuccessively' fall into their delivering positions, and in this connection to provide a mechanism so constructed that it does not matter which of the arms supporting the hoops is disposed. in its delivering position, thus making the device fool-proof to'the extent that even an ignorant and inattentive employee may properly set the device. l 1.,

'Afurther obj ectis to provide-a device of this character which is very sin 1ple.in.. .con. struction, which is easily operated, which isv easily set, and which may be adjuStedi so as tosupport the hoops at that angle best suited to the passing trainsgand further. to provide a device of this characterwhere'on lanterns may. be supportedat night so asto indicate to. the engineer, conductor, etc, the

pecise position-of the hoop.v carrying message or orders Other obj "cts will appear in th egeouijrse of the followingdescription. 7

My invention is illustrated panyingdrawlngs, where n 1 a F gur 1 a Sid l va oe fl r ie erd r de i ery mebae s I qeest ec' d; in. word.- .an wlthmy inten w ih a. {a i fra mentary.initial; ett es?! View, showing theposition of the parts when one of the train order holders is detached 9 and its corresponding arm is swinging to its dropped posltlon;

Fig. '3'is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of the brace 14;;

Fig. 4 is a section 011 line H of Fig. 5,

' showing the position of the parts taken when one of the arms is swung to its dropped position and the next adjacent arm is moving to" a horizontal position;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 4.

' Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that the supporting frame of the mechanism consists of a U-shaped yoke bar b 10, which is mounted in any suitable manj ner upon a post 11, which may be of any desired height. Attached to the upwardly extending arms of the U-shaped frame is a forwardly projecting U-shaped member '12 which, at its rear end, is supported by bolts 13 and which, at its forward end, is sup ported by braces 14, these braces being more or less angular in form and being bolted to the forward end of the U-shaped member 12 and preferably extending up above this 7 ends of-the arms of the supporting frame 10, and has acrossbar 19.

Passing through the upper ends of the arms of' the frame 10 is a shaft'2O which projects beyond these arms and is provided with collars 21 holding it from longitudinal movement but permitting its rotation. This shaft carries upon one end a hand wheel 22 orother means whereby the shaft may be rotated.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft between the arms of the U-shapedframe 10 are a plurality of freely swinging arms 23, a"ll of these arms being alike in construction. Thesearms23 are spaced from each other by washers 24: so that one arm may swing freely independently of any other arm. These arms in their normal position all extendupward and rearward and rest against the cross bar 19. Also mounted upon the shaft to rotate therewith, however, are two collars 25 disposed inward of the arms of the frame 10, these collars having outwardly extending bars 26 connected 'by' a cross bar 27.

Each of the swingin arms 28 consists of a metallic bar. of any esired cross section,

area and length, and it will be noted that the shaft 20.'passes through these arms'below the middle thereof so that the arms are unequally pivoted. I have shown four of these arms mounted upon the shaft and have indicated the arms by the letters A,

B', C and D. The arms A, B, and C are each formed intermediate the shaft, and one extremity of the arm preferably with a transverse recess 28. The arm D, however, is not providedwith this recess, but is provided with a pin 29 which projects. into the recess of the arm 0, and the arm G is provided with a pin 29 projectinginto the recess of the arm B. The arm B is provided with a pin projecting into the arm A. It

will be, therefore, seen that three of thearms are provided with the pins 29. These pins constitute stop lugs, as will hereafter appear. The free ends of the arms, that is the normally upper ends, arev provided.

Fig. 1. The hoops are made of wood and ordinarily have'a diameter of about a foot and a half more or less, and formed to pro vide' a tangentially extending shank 34. This shank is tapered at its end so that it may be wedged down into position between 5 5 the spring 30 and the corresponding arm, and under these circumstances the hoop will extend transversely to the track. At the junction of the shank and hoop, or at any other desired place, there is disposed a spring clamp 35 which may be of any suitable form, and the order is folded and disposed in this spring clamp, I do'not wish to be limited to the particular construction of the hoops, nor to the means whereby the order is held thereon. The shanks of the hoops are disposed within the sockets, as previously described, so that the hoops may be withdrawn by simply inserting the arm through the hoops, whereupon the hoops will swing laterally in the sockets and'pull out therefrom with relative ease. f

The operation of this mechanism is as follows: Assuming that an ordinary train is about to pass and duplicate ordersare to be delivered to the engineer and the corn ductor of' the train, then these duplicate orders are attachedto the respective hoops 33 and the shanks or handles of the hoops inserted in any two of the arms A, B, O and D. One of the arms containing, an order'is now turned down to an approximately horizontal position, that is to the position shown in Fig. 1, with the shank 34 of the hoop restingupon the cross bar of the u-shaped sup port 12, This hoop with itsorder attached thereto is now in position where it may be taken-oflby the engineer or fireman on the locomotive-of the train. 'As soon as the order is takenboff," this arm,- which Iwill assume is the arm D, '1SIGl2tSGCl-21Il(l falls cross bar of the support .12; If it does not support a hoop, the arm will continue to swing down until its pin 29 strikes the lower portion'of the arm 'B,when this .willswing down. Ifthis'arm does not support a hoop,

it will continue to swing until its pin 29 strikes thelower portion of the arm A,

when this arm, which I willassume supports the second hoop, will swing to an ap proximately horizontal, position with they shank ofthe hoop resting on the cross bar ofthe support 12. Then when this hoop has been taken off, the arm will. swing downward to'its dependingposition, .All'of these arms will now havebeen swung down'to a depending position and they may beturned upward to a position supported againstthe cross bar 19 by simply rotating the shaft 20 throu h the hand wheel 22.

Now have considered in the above description that the arm Dhas' been initially swung to its'approximately horizontal position and that thereafter the arms B and f A will successively be released, but it does not matter whether the arm D is first disposed in'its horizontal position, or the arm A isdisposed in this position,exactly the same result will occur. If the arm A be the one which is initially disposed in its horizontal. pos1t1on,.then.when' thisis released by the taking ofi' of the order-carrying hoop,

Thus, it does-not matter which of the arms the attendant disposes ina horizontal p st. tion. The arm C'mightbe the one disposed in a horizontal'position. Inthis case,'1bot!i," the arms -'D and B would be rotated,it is.

the arm will swing downward until that 1 portion of it normallyv below the pivot shaft} 20 will strike the pin 29 of the arm and rotate-this arm, and this, after it hasswung below thehorizontal' position, will strike the pin of the arm C and will'swing it over, and

this inturn will swinglthe arm"Dover.

true, but as oneor' both of these armswill' position to deliver the message v here fourfltrain orders are livered, as to a double header train, font hoops will'be used, a-nd either one of the end a'rInA or D will be initially turneddown to" "itshorizonta'l position. Ther'eaflier,the op eration' is precisely the same as heretofore" described. As fast as one-hoop "has been removed; another hoop Wlll drop to its delivering position.-

By this mechanism it 'willbeseen that only one hoop at a time can be presented, and that these order-carrying hoops will be presented one after another until they are all taken olf. The fact that either of the end arms maybe the arminitially shirted' to its horlzontal positlon with. a message therein, is of particular importance in lo calities-where labor is more or less lgnorant and unskilled and where the employee ar ranging thearms might not take eare that one particular arm was disposed in a lion- 'zontalposition, and that is why I have soconstructed the mechanism that the arms will be operated successively beginning at either end.

It is to be noted that the supports or rests 18 and 19 may be adjusted so as to increase or decrease the angle of the" arms A, B, C and D-when they are disposed :in their operative positions so that while the arms will" not swing accidentallyto a discharge pos1-- tion, yet at the same time they may be readily tipped from their statioposition without the expenditure of 'much force.

Likewise, the U-shaped supporting yoke 12 Y -may be adjusted so as-to raise or lower the cross bar thereof within certain limits to I thereby support the arms at a greater or less angle when they'are in their delivering position and vertically adjust the position of the messagecarrying hoops as a consequence. At night, lanterns or othersultable illuminated signals are to be hung on the hooks 15 so as to indicate the position ofthe hoops and illuminate these hoops sufiiciently so that atrainman can readily pass his arm through the hoop. Of course, other devices, somewhat like mail bag catchers, 'might'be provided for the purpose of'removing these 7 hoops if desired, but obviously this forms no:

partof my invention.

While-1 have illustrated four arms'A, B,-; C and .1), yet it is obvious that less than four arms -might be used on sections of road where trains are 'not'doubleheaded, or that more arms might be used than "four; Thus,.'

for instance,- the'duplicate orders for one train might be placed on two arms and duplicate orders for a next succeeding train' placed on the other two. arms,'and. then j orders might be arranged thus on a plurality not contain any message, no harm can be, i done and they would simplylswing to their-1 lowered positions and bring'thearm'A into of arms for a plurality of successive trains.

obitious that" various details might be changed and that-'- parts might be" rear ranged without departing fromithe s iritob the invention. Furthermore, it will be, of course, obvious that the dimensions of the mechanism will be changed according to the height of locomotives and cars, or the regulations of the road.

I claim:

1. A train order delivery mechanism including two train order supporting members each independently shiftable from a retracted to a delivery position, means for supporting one of the members in a delivery position and the other in its retracted position, and means actuated automatically upon the removal of the order carried by the first named member causing the second named member to be projected to its delivery position.

2. A train order delivery mechanism in-' cluding a plurality of independently pivoted train order supporting arms each independently shiftable from a retracted to a projected position, means for supporting any one of the arms in a delivery position,

7 means for supporting any one ofthe. arms in a retracted position, and means actuated automatically upon the removal of an order carried by any arm in its projected position causing the next successive arm in either direction to be'shifted to its delivery posi tion. 7 V

3. A train order delivery mechanism includmg a series of tram order supporting members each provided with means for supporting a train order carrying hoop and each mounted for independent movement from a retracted to a projected delivery position. and being supported in its delivery position bythe hoop attached thereto, and means actuated upon the movement of any one arm past its delivery posit-ion causing a serially successive arm to be projected to a delivery vposition.

4; A train order delivery mechanism including a supporting shaft, a support disposed in a horizontal plane 111 advance of said shaft, a support disposed rearward and above the shaft, a plurality ,of train order carrying arms pivotally mounted upon the shaft for independent movement,

each arm having at one end meansfor detachably supporting an order carrying hoop, the arms having a length fromtheir pivotal axis to the hoop supporting ends less than the distance between said shaft and the first named support, each of said arms being 7 jected position, and means carried by each arm engaging with the next successive arm when the trainorder hoophas been removed and the first named arm dropped to a depending position and acting to rotatethe socket at its end, a vertically adjustable horizontal support, train order carrying members, each having a handle insertible into the socket of the corresponding arm and adapted to rest upon said support when the arms are in a substantially horizontal position and, when withdrawn from the arms permitting the arms to swing to a vertical depending'position, vand'means 011 each arm acting upon the swinging of any one arm to a vertical depending position automatically engaging a serially successive arm to cause said last named arm to swing to a horizontal position.

6. A train order delivery mechanism in cluding a supporting shaft, a stop disposed in a horizontal plane in advance of said shaft, a plurality of train order carrying arms pivotally mounted upon the shaft for independent movement from a position ap-' proximately at right angles to the plane of said support to a position parallel to the plane of the support, each of said arms having a socket at its extremity, train-order carrying members, each having a shank insertible into the socket of the arm, the arms having a length less than the distance between the pivotal axis and said support whereby the train-order carrying member on an arm will support it against said stop,

and means carried upon each arm acting the stop.

7. A train order delivery mechanism including a supporting shaft, a support dis-v posed 1n an approximately horizontal plane in advance of said shaft, asupport disposed rearward and above the shaft, a plurality of train order carrying arms pivotally mounted upon the shaft for independent movement, each arm having at one end means for detachably supporting an order carrying hoop, the arms having a length from their pivotal axis to. the hoop supporting endsless than the distance. between said shaft and the first named support, order supporting hoops having shanks engageable with said arms and adapted toengage said first named support when the corresponding arm is turned into an approximately horizontal position, each arm having a pro jecting portion which, when the arm is rotated from its approximately horizontal positionto a depending position consequent upon the removal of an order carrying memher, will engage the serially successive arm horizontal position. 7 v V 8. A train order delivery mechanism ini icludingayshaft, assupport disposed horiwandrotateitfrom a position against the esecond named support to an approximately zontally. in advance. of said shaft, a support disposedrearward and above the shaft, and

zran arm pivoted upon said shaft, the-armat aoneiendvhaving aspring clip extending parallel .to the: armbut. disposed in spaced relation to one face theref,;the distance bea-train order carrying member having spring' clip and the face of the arm and 1 '--'tweenvthe pivotal axis of the arm and the, e I extremity of thevlast named end of the arm when'so:inserted'adapted to rest uponthe first named support-and support the arm in an approximately horizontal position.

@pivotally' mounted upontheshaft, each :arm

Qcluding a slupportingshaft, a support disposed in an .approximately horizontal, plane in advance of said shaft, a plurality of arms -.=extending-beyond the shaft on each side, none end portion-of the arm being longer than the other and the longerend of the arm being provided at its extremity with a means forsdetachably engaging a trainorder-carrying member, the distance between the axis of each arm'andthe last named end of'the arm being less than the distance ,between said axis and the support, all but $0116.01 the armsbeing formed with recesses in their; side faces and allbut one of .the arms bemg-provided with pins projecting laterally from the arm and into the corresponding .recess of a next adjacent arm,

whereby a rotation of oneof-the arms to a predetermined angular extentwill-cause the carrylng members having shanks for tea I .pin of said arm to engage a portionof the next ad acent arm to cause the rotation of the next ad acent arm, and 7 train order gagement by saidmeans on; the extremity ofthe arms, said train orderzlmembers being adapted to restruponlthefirst named support when the-.arms are turned into a ,7

oted arms, each formed at one end with means for engaging a train order carrying member, means for supporting said arms in Ian upwardly and rearwardly inclined position but permitting the arms to swingto a depending position, means for supporting 5 any one of said arms in an approximately "horizontal position when the corresponding .cluding a frame, a supporting shaft mountmanually rotated,- each of said arms train order will be projected, and means actupon, the removal of a train order member from the last named arm causing a se :rially successive arm in either direction to swing downward from its upwardly and rearwardly incllned position.

11. -A train order delivery mechanism in- "cluding a plurality of pivoted arms, ,each

means for supporting any one of said arms inan approximately horizontal position with :the corresponding train order pro-r jected,.and means acting uponthe removal of autrain orderv member; from .thelast named arm causing a serially'successive arm to swing downward from its upwardly and rearwardly inclined position, and manually actuatable means for resetting all of said 9. A- train-order delivery mechanism III- arms from a depending position to an upwardly and rear-wardly lnclmed posltion.

12 A tram order delivery mechamsminedv thereon, a horizontally. disposed support mounted on the frame in advance of the-shaft,- a horizontally disposed support mounted on the frame above and rearward of the shaft, a plurality of arms unequally disposed in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position against the second namedg; supporting means, the shaft being independently rotatable with relatlon to the arms and carrying an elongated link thereon engageable with-the arms to rotate them unitarily, the shaft havingmeans whereby it may be at one end means for detachable engag with a'train order carrying member, the d18- tance between the axis of the arm and this end-of the arm being less than, the distance a .pro-j ecting longitudinally therethrough wh on so engaged, and means on each arm engaging a serially successive arm to cause a rotatlon thereof when the first named arm has shifted from an approximately horizontal position toward a depending position.

13. A train order delivery mechanism including a frame, a supporting shaft mounted thereon, a horizontally disposed support mounted on the frame in advance of the shaft, a horizontally disposed support mounted on the frame above and rearward of the shaft, a plurality of arms unequally pivoted upon the, shaft for movement in a vertical plane past said first named supporting means, said arms being adapted to be disposed in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position against the second named supporting means, the shaft being independently rotatable with relation to the arms and carrying an elongated link thereon engage able with the arms to rotate them unitarily, the shaft having means whereby it may be manually rotated, each of said arms having at one end means for detachable engagepivotally adjustable upon the frame to raise or lower it, and adjustable braces engaging said supporting member and bemg formed to support signals.

14. A train order delivery mechanism ineluding a series of independently rotatable,

pivoted train order supporting arms, order carrying members having detachable engagement with the ends of said arms, means for supporting all of the arms in a raised position but permitting the rotation of the arms to a horizontal position, a horizontally disposed support upon which the train order carrying members may rest when the corresponding arm is in a horizontal position, and means operated when a train order carrying member is removed from any one arm with the arm in a horizontal position causing the rotation of the arm next adjacent in either direction to a horizontal position.

15. A mechanism of the character described including a plurality of order carrying arms shiftable from a retracted to a projected delivery position, and means causing the projected arm to automatically shift to a retracted position upon the removal of an order fIOIIl StLlCl arm and. cause (L11 arm next adjacent in either direction to be shifted from a retracted to a projected delivery position.

16. A train order delivery mechanism in-.

cluding a plurality of pivoted arms, each formedat one end with means for engaging a train order carrying member, means for supporting said arms in a retracted position but permitting the arms to swing to a deliv ery position, means for supporting any one i of said arms in a delivery position with'the corresponding train order carrying means projected, and means acting upon the removal of a train order carrying member from the last named arm causing a serially successive arm to swing from its retracted to its projected delivery position, and manu-V ally actuatable meansfor resetting all of said arms to their retracted'position.

17. A train order delivery mechanism including a plurality of independently pivoted arms, each formed atone end with means for engaging a train order carrying memher, a support for said arms supporting the arms in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position, said support being adjustable to vary the inclination of the arms and the angle of said arms when in a projected position, and means acting upon the removal of a train order member from any arm in a projected position, causing a serially successive arm to swing downward from its upwardly and rearwardly inclined position.

N. K. McCALLUM, N. F. MCCALLUM. r 

